Standing, Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist addresses the Jamestown Commission on Human Rights during its first meeting on Friday. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

The reintroduction of the Jamestown Commission on Human Rights has officially started.

On Friday, the commission members met for the first time at the Robert H. Jackson Center. The first meeting was a commission retreat so members could get to know each other and their backgrounds. The commission retreat was facilitated by the Rev. Chloe Smith. Before the retreat started, Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist welcomed the commission members and discussed briefly what they will be doing as a group.

“I’m very excited to have you all as part of the reinauguration of the Human Rights Commission here in Jamestown,” Sundquist said.

“We need to bring better understanding … to what we do.”

Sundquist said the commission will promote and education residents about the different ways of life in the community. He also said that the commission will be able to rule upon alleged discrimination.

“You will be able to review and judicate on actual infringements on people’s rights,” he said.

Sundquist said at the commission’s next meeting, Debbie Kent, Western New York state Division of Human Rights Offices director, will be in attendance to discuss how the commission can assist people in the community.

Sundquist also announced that the commission received no public comment prior to the meeting.

The first question Smith asked the commission was, “Who do you come from?”

Some of the responses included God, their parents or family, Jamestown and from a “longline of Americans.”

Because of audio difficulties, the rest of the commission retreat could not be heard via the live stream.

The commission includes the Rev. Uvie Stewart Jr., who is the chairman; Momina Di Blasio; Billy Torres; Chris Blakeslee; Kayla Crosby; Daniel Groh; Matthew Misiaszek; Kellie Roberts; Dodi McIntyre; Justin Hubbard; Alize Scott; and Kimberly Knight.